The Cat Lady follows Susan Ashworth, a lonely 40-year old on the verge of suicide. She has no family, no friends and no hope for a better future. One day she discovers that five strangers will come along and change everything...

1 februari

A small update (5mb) is available that will bring your Steam copy to version 1.5.

This includes Russian, Portuguese, Hungarian & Finnish texts in the game (select from main menu > options or via setup/winsetup > language).

You can also select Polish but this language is not working fully yet.

Please be aware these are all translations written by fans - a big thanks to them & their hard work and enthusiasm. As such there may be some small errors, which we will work to fix asap. The translators will be working from this update to smooth out their translations. So there may be some additional minor updates in case of spelling/grammar tweaks to the translations etc (and hopefully a fully working Polish language) over the next few weeks.

In the meantime please do try the game with these new texts and let us know if there are any major problems. Please note no graphics have been updated or changed, they remain in English.

We also made a slight modification to the translation file names, as we heard that some computers were having difficulties recognizing the filenames. No other changes have been made.

Version 1.5 is currently only available on Steam. An update for DRM-free copies is planned for the near future. We may try and add even more languages in the future. Further announcements will be posted of any new language updates.

Sorry if this has caused you any inconvenience but thanks for being patient whilst we get these additional languages working. regards!

PS. As always, if you have any major issues especially relating to this update, please make a post on the discussions board :)

Note to our kind translators who may wish to fix their TRS file: You may notice in tutorial section the words get obscured by the images of keyboard buttons etc. We need you to find shorter words as the graphics cannot be easily moved around. Try and use short words. This is noticeable in Russian version, where a long word at the beginning pushes the rest behind the graphics. In French, where the length of words are almost equal to the English counterpart, there is little problem here.

16 januari

1. Resizing of fonts to ensure text is not cut off during dialog sequences/options
2. Potential fix for a game-breaking bug in chapter 3*
3. Italian language added, first language to be added since release of ver 1.4
4. Soundtrack now included! Can be found in Library > Music

This is currently a Steam only update. We have not released a DRM-free update or update to other providers at this point.

Please understand that over the next couple of days things may not be fully functional. We will of course work to rectify them. As far as we are aware, Save Games still work without any problems.

Please also be aware that WINSETUP has also been updated a little, with new Advanced Options. You may need to fiddle with the settings again if you see large borders, using Advanced > Show top & bottom borders etc.

Linux version should also be working ok - speech files are now back (some users found they were missing right after the update).

We intend to add more languages over the coming weeks, so you may experience some other very small updates occurring over the next month.

Be aware that there is currently no update to the save/load system, so save slots are still limited (roughly 50). But we are working on this for a future update, to include a "Max slots" alert & the ability to delete slots. In the meantime, we strongly suggest newer players to move/delete old save game files (typically found in My Documents > My Saved Games > The Cat Lady)

Thanks for your patience and sorry for any inconvenience.

* Please let us know about any strange issues/bugs/dead-ends that happen in Chapter 3 or 4 (typically things relating to the shower) - or in relation to any of the other fixes in this update. Again we're sorry if this happens, please help us work through it & fix them!

Bonus update: We have included the full OST as part of your Steam purchase. You'll find it in Library > Music (an update may be required).

We'd also like to add news of the sad passing of Astrid Beulink today who had been battling cancer. In 2013 she visited AdventureX (expo run by Screen 7 in the UK) and chose The Cat Lady when winning a prize in the end raffle and asked Michalski to sign it - it was the first time he had ever signed an autograph! Astrid's energy and enthusiasm for the adventure game scene, genre and The Cat Lady will be sorely missed, but will not be forgotten by myself, Michalski & the adventure game community. Rest in peace x

“The Cat Lady is a refreshing, intelligent and intriguing game and one of the best I have played this year”
9/10 – Bloody Disgusting

Over dit spel

The Cat Lady follows Susan Ashworth, a lonely 40-year old on the verge of suicide. She has no family, no friends and no hope for a better future. One day she discovers that five strangers will come along and change everything...

By author Remigiusz Michalski (Harvester Games) this suspenseful psychological horror game features stylized artwork, a simple keyboard control method and English voice acting, plus a compelling, atmospheric 70 minute soundtrack by micAmic (now included free with every copy in Library > Music) and featured artists Warmer, 5iah and Tears Of Mars.

The Cat Lady contains strong adult themes and is recommended only for players over 18.

This is one sick twisted game. It's a noir adventure game, something that is pretty innovative I think-- At least I haven't played anything quite like this before. It is an interesting blend of genres and themes that makes for a novel and stimulating gaming experience that doesn't feel played out.

It really pushes the envelope with some twisted, demented scenes that are hard to not enjoy, and become immersed in... even if you aren't really a fan of adventure games, if you want something creepy, thrilling, and with good writing and immersion: then I think you will like this game.

The writing is amazing in my opinion... and voice acting is extremely solid for the most part -- it has some of the deepest, trippiest, creepiest stuff going on I have seen in a game. The noir art style works, even though the graphics are simple it just somehow fits well with the tone of the game. The truth is, all the pieces of the puzzle just work together perfectly to create an enjoyable experience.

It takes really good writing and solid acting to be able to create an immersive atmosphere in a simple side scrolling adventure game, but this game delivers and then some. I'll admit, the story gets a little ridiculous and/or confusing at moments but that is part of the atmosphere.

As far as the actual puzzle solving goes, it's a pretty simple game. There’s really more of a focus on the story and just creating an eerie atmosphere then there is on solving puzzles... but there is some thinking to be done-- just the right amount for the tone of the game in my opinion.

In Adventure The Cat Lady we head out on a dark and disturbing journey into the depths of the human psyche.Right at the beginning of The Cat Lady Susan commits suicide so. Surprisingly, her spirit wakes but in a surreal and colorful world. They can not believe their eyes. A blue sky and amber wheat field. When was the last time they saw only their environment in such abundance of color? Is it in paradise? Are the torment over? Unsuspecting and full of hope for salvation she progresses through the dreamlike world.

Susan will get a second chance, but the price is high. You should kill five people on behalf of the old woman. They would indeed seem harmless and peaceful at first glance, but are in fact terrible monster.So Susan can commit the murders, you want the old woman give immortality as long as is also only one of the five people alive. If the cat lady dies or kills himself, her spirit returns after a short stop in the intermediate world back into her human body back.

The Cat Lady is not a Point'n'Click adventure in the classic sense. The game is entirely controlled by the arrow keys and Enter and is decorated throughout in 2D. So Susan moves similar to a side-scroller exclusively to the left and right. We reach a relevant hotspot, can be opened with the upper arrow key to highlight the interaction menu is again selected an action from the and pressing the Return key.To access the inventory, we press the down arrow key. The interaction and movement possibilities are so pretty limited, but reinforce the feeling of tightness and hopelessness on mechanical and optical level.However, it is a pity that we can not combine multiple objects together within the inventory. This is the game only indirectly possible (eg by means of a workbench), what the puzzle fun but does not detract.

Adventure typically we have in The Cat Lady solve all kinds of puzzles and combine items together. The puzzles are mostly logical and comprehensible, and we rarely have trouble finding the right items. A boring walk is puzzling but not. So we have to flee for example, at one point in the game from the torture chamber of a brutal ♥♥♥♥♥♥. The problem here is that Susan is unarmed while their tormentors equipped with a gun in the next room holds a nap before settling his victim "take care" wants.

The Cat Lady also underlines visually and acoustically his adult character. Regularly be dark sections alternate black and white from colorful passages. The game is often decorated in muted colors or equal to black and white and rather reminiscent of an artistic and experimental comic than a game. Succeeded how Susan's psyche in the barren interior areas reflects: While it is at once beautiful around them, it remains in her and her home still dark and dreary. The backgrounds were incidentally composed of edited photos and painted elements. On her move the drawn and only rudimentary animated characters.

The Cat Lady uses the framework of a horror story to set up a truly mature and moving portrait of a woman attempting to claw her way out of pain and sadness.

Score: 83 / 100

gamestar.de

Sorry for my bad english.Thanks for reading! If you Like my Review, give me a Thumbs up in Steam.Your help is greatly appreciated :)

This is a horror game about Susan Ashworth a 40 year old lady who is suicidal and suffers from depression.The game is about the choices we make and the consequences from making those choices. A very good story and voice acting. Worth your time.

"The Cat Lady" will hurt you. The story of Susan Ashworth, a failed suicide forced to take a different path, will cause you pain and a degree of mental anguish - and that's okay, because there are some things that *should* hurt when you experience them, even through the proxy of a video game.

The game can be thought of as having two halves that intertwine with each other throughout. One half deals with Susan Ashworth's confrontation with five "parasites" - serial killers whose exploits are depicted with unsparing detail. This portion of the game is suspenseful, gory, horrifying, and ultimately not all that interesting; the shocks and surprises are so over-the-top that they're easily dismissable as something that only happens in the world of make-believe.

The power of "The Cat Lady" comes from its other half. This part of the story is far more personal, dealing with the past trauma that led to Susan's suicide attempt; her growing friendship with a young boarder named Mitzi with a haunted past of her own; and their efforts to save each other from the inner darkness that threatens to consume them. Their stories are dark, but the game wisely introduces a lot of humor in their relationship as well ("think of a vegetable") that occasionally descends into outright farce (the babysitter scene comes to mind). This balance, along with the excellent dialogue and voice acting, make Susan and Mitzi seem very real, and that makes it impossible not to emphasize with them both.

And that makes the game's soul crushing scenes all the more devastating. The one that hit me the hardest involves an argument between a husband and wife, one that begins with petty accusations and descends into shouted accusations that visibly bludgeon the characters. There's no physical violence or over-dramatized threats, and the scene is all the more terrifying because of it. The situation is understated and real, as are the tragic consequences, and I was unable to shake the uneasy feeling that I was watching the lives of two real people fall apart.

"The Cat Lady" allows the players to make choices along the way that decide Susan and Mitzi's ultimate fate: whether they conquer their pain or fall prey to it. I'm oddly proud that I managed to achieve a measure of peace for them both. When I was done, I briefly thought about playing through the game again to view the other endings - but I quickly decided not to. It is wrong to play with human lives and cause idle grief, and by the time the credits for "The Cat Lady" rolled I was unable to think of Susan and Mitzi as anything other than real.

1. Awesome atmosphere2. Interesting storyline 3. Sick and gruwesome4. Did I mention sick?5. Great voiceovers6. In depth characters7. Did i mention sick?8. Low budget , but made in a way that it is just very artistic. Really well done.

Felt more like an interactive story for most parts as a game. ( like a story told with a picture book, not a movie.) But the game part was pretty decent too. Some nice puzzles. Not too easy, not too hard. Finished the game in one breath.

Synopsis from store page: "The Cat Lady follows Susan Ashworth, a lonely 40-year old on the verge of suicide. She has no family, no friends and no hope for a better future. One day she discovers that five strangers will come along and change everything..."

Before I go any further, I will give you probably the most important detail since this alone is a deal breaker for some: This game is story driven. There is a LOT of dialog and cut scenes. What action there is consists of solving problems.

That out of the way, this game is AMAZING. It might be one of my favorite games ever. If you like dark, morbid games; this will be perfect for you. I don't think I've ever seen a game as morbid as this one. In this game, it's safe to assume that the worst will happen. Insanely creepy with haunting music, this game does not disappoint.

I will admit one thing, however. There were times when I couldn't play this for more than ten minutes. You have to be in a certain frame of mind for this one, and if you are a highly depressed person, this game may not be for you as the main character longs to die for most of the game. There are seven chapters and in my opinion the game really kicks off towards the end of chapter two. That's when your mind is blown and the game's true colors really shine.

This game is not very long. The dialog is what takes up the bulk of the time played. The achievements are not difficult at all. There are guides in the community hub and you should have absolutely no problem in this regard. There are multiple endings for this game. Without giving too much away, I HIGHLY suggest you save right before you are given a shoe box. Trust me on this one.

The graphics may be throwing you off as you consider this game. Trust me, I'm not a big fan of games like this where the graphics are old school and unrealistic. But you will soon appreciate the art and realize this game was made perfectly when it comes to graphics, music, and voice acting.

If you do love this game, check out Downfall in the Greenlight area. It is a remake of an older game made by the people who made The Cat Lady. I haven't played it yet, but I have read quotes from the creators that say they think the remake might even turn out better than this game. I'm so excited! It's supposed to come out this year. It HAS been greenlit.

One last piece of advice. One I give for every horror game. Play this alone, in the dark. Even better, with headphones.

This is a masterpiece.I have depression and have attempted suicide twice since losing someone loved. When I played The Cat Lady, it was expected to be an experience to make me a better horror writer, but it was far deeper in the end.

This is a game focused on its storytelling. Susan Ashworth is a deep and troubled character, and Mitzi is a character that brings life to the whole setting. It was an unforgettable trip through not only the struggle for life (or death?) but also of how deeply someone full of life can make you change your view about the world. It is a game about redemption and starting a new life, about facing the ghosts of the past and managing to let the sadness go and let the sun shine in your face once again.

One of the best audiovisual experiences I've ever had, under one of my favorite soundtracks ever. Easily one of my favorite games ever played. Thanks, Harvester Games. Thank you very much.

The Cat Lady is a point-and-click horror adventure game. You are Susan Ashworth, a depressed woman without friends. Her only companions are cats. She is known in her neighborhood as the cat lady. The game begins with the suicide of the protagonist. In death Susan encounter the Queen of Maggots, who makes her immortal and gives her the mission to kill five psychopaths referred to as the "parasites." Susan then returns to the world of the living to wake up in a hospital bed and is soon forced to carry out her mission.The Cat Lady is extremely narrative-driven, like a sort of horror visual novel. The puzzles are pretty easy. There are several endings and your choices throughout the game determine which you will get.The graphics are well-chosen for this indie game. The colours are mainly black, white and greys but with a bit of colour in every scene. The game uses colour to help the player find the relevant objects.The music is great, it really adds to the experience. The voice acting is good, nothing really big to complain about. If you like horror games and point-and-click adventures then you will like The Cat Lady.

I don't know why I gravitate towards games that deal with mental disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, but The Cat Lady is one that captivated me from the start. The game starts out with you committing suicide and ending up in what I can best describe as a purgatory of sorts. In order to save your soul you're tasked with taking those of deranged and depraved lunatics in trade. Each and every chapter is somber and more than just a little depressing. For anyone who knows what it's like to suffer such things it really hits the mark. The endings (for there are about three or so of them) really make an impact when you take the game as a whole into account. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to play a dark and somewhat twisted game. Just a word of warning, though. Don't play if you're already feeling down.

The Cat Lady is one of the best horror adventures i've seen, dark atmosphere dark music dark everything. Perfect gameplay weird story but brilliant. You really have to play this game, no screenshot no video can give you the experience you will earn when you played one hour of this masterpiece. So are you able to find your way through this nightmare?

The cat lady is a point and click adventure game, but describing it only so would be an understatement. The puzzles are easy and solving them mainly gives way to an emotionally invested story. You are Susan Ashworth, - the cat lady- and you have just done what you wanted to do for a long time: committed suicide. You soon realize though that this is not the end, as you get sent back to life with the mission to kill some so called "human parasites", people who have done even more unthinkable things than yourself. Be prepared, this is indeed a horror game with a few disturbing scenes that mainly uses its bleak atmosphere and despair as its tools instead of jump scares.

Pain, depression, fear, hope, love, are twisted in a dream-like fashion in the form of a game. Its charm lies In that essentially, it embodies everything that makes us human. If you are drawn to things that will stir you up inside, this game is for you. The story of the Cat Lady will haunt your mind long after you have finished playing it.

In all honesty it's hard to truly recommend this game because it's so depressing. Still, I'd like to say it's one of the most original games I've played and really quite thought provoking.

It's a pretty simple point and click style game that's heavily dialogue based. The main appeal from it is the unique focus and subject matter. Middle aged depressed women are hardly prominent in gaming and the focus on death, what hapiness means, what the afterlife is and how people interact with each other is highly original.

It has a very downbeat tone and art style. The game is in black and white for the most part and the music is oppressive, which helps forment the depressing tone of the game. The game makes you feel down, yet I still feel the need to play it. Which is an impressive accomplishment I think.

The visual style is a real treat. It's hard to describe but it's very morbid and macabre, with a surreal atmosphere. It's rather unsettling and dramatic but also uses subtle effects like lighting to set the scence.

If I have any complaint, it's that I feel some of the puzzles are far too obtuse. In a story focused game, it's annoying to have these overly complicated puzzles that due to the surreal nature of the game, tend to defy all logic. It breaks the pace of the game a fair bit at times, which is annoying.

Reading this back, it all seems very pretentious. It's well worth a buy when it goes on sale though, for the unique exeperience if anything. It's amazing to see a horror game that doesn't rely on cheap jump scares to be truly scary, but moreso a sense of foreboding, tension and things that are actually scary: the thought of what happens when we die and if reality is really what we think it is.

The Cat Lady belong to the psycological horror genre.But it's not just a game: It's a journey.A journey that will bring you into the life and the mind of the protagonist, Susan Ashworth; you will make choice with her, face events, always followed by that feeling of anguish and sorrow that is hers as well as yours.

What is real? What comes from your imagination?What horrors lie behind that door? What secrets and what thruths is hiding that person?Are you sure you want to find out?

Strong and sometimes conflictual emotions will surround you along the path.Musics, backgrounds and dialogues are flawless, they will help you to melt with the story.And who knows, maybe you, like Susan, will finally be able to see life under new eyes.

This game is awesome!The story is very good, someone should make a movie with it, the music is good, the artwork is not that bad, you get used to it and start to like it and the puzzles aren't boring.If you like psychological horror games with great story, you should try it out!